Not Okay
by SplishySplash
Summary: Tony is really sick and the doctors think it has to do with his exposure to the pneumonic plague. It's Ziva's turn to see what he went through the first time.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Not Okay**

**Author: Ihave207Bones, SplishySplash**

**Pairing: Tony/Ziva**

**Rating: K+**

**Spoiler: None**

**Summary: Tony is really sick and the doctors think it has to do with his exposure to the pneumonic plague. It's Ziva's turn to see what he went through.**

Ziva sighed as she made her way in the squad room from the elevator. The not having a car thing wasn't working for her as much as she had hoped and taking bus after bus was just plain irritating, trying her already thin patience. She was surprised to see Tony already sitting at his desk that she had to check her watch to make sure she wasn't that late.

"You are late." He said with a tired smile, his nose was a cheery red and his voice sounded congested.

She huffed as she sat her backpack on the floor and took her winter wear off. "Thank you Colonel Obvious." She retorted softly, she knew she had it wrong because she did it on purpose. His correction never came as a hard hacking cough escaped his chest and into a tissue that had taken residence in his hand. Ziva winced, it sounded painful. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just a stupid cold." He rasped as Ziva wandered into his space, looking concerned as she placed her cold hand on his forehead he leaned into her cool touch as she gasped, he had a fever.

She shook her head and reached into his desk for some Tylenol. "You are not fine, Tony." She said softly, placing the tablets in his hand before taking his Kill Bill mug to fill it with water. At the water cooler she her him cough again and it sounded just as painful as the other one. When she came back with the water, she noticed something off. Tony was staring at the tissue that was now covered with blood, placing it on the desk she went into full doctor mode. "Come on, we are going to take you to the hospital."

With another cough and more blood he shook his head. "I'm fine. . ." He said weakly.

She shook her head again and pulled him from his chair, he stood stiffly and sluggishly. "How long have you been coughing?" She asked, placing his gloves on his hands and gently feeding his arms through his coat before finishing it with his scarf. She motioned for him to stand there so she could get her coat back on.

"Since yesterday." He said, he swayed a little on his feet and used his hand on his desk to support himself. Ziva had her coat, gloves and hat on in record time, to support him and keep him from falling.

"Have you been coughing up blood too?" She asked as she slowly walked him towards the elevator, but before he could answer. Tony swayed again as a rush of vertigo went through him almost forcing both of them to the ground. They didn't as Palmer stepped off the elevator and caught him before they would hit the floor.

"Are you alright Tony?" He asked in a panic, he was still dressed in his coat.

"We need to get him to Bethesda." Ziva said and Palmer nodded with a worried smile.

*~*

The ride to Bethesda Naval Hospital was interesting. Getting him into Palmers brand new sedan was an experience alone, leaving both him and Ziva in the backseat with his head in her lap and the heater up on full blast to subside his chills, her bare hand on his forehead to cool his fever. The roads were icy and the traffic was slow as the first snow fall of the season had fallen the night before.

He winced when Ziva's pocket vibrated against his ear and she shuffled as gently as she could to answer the phone. It was Gibbs. They had told the receptionist to tell Gibbs the moment he got in to call her, without divulging any emergency. "David." She said into the phone.

"What is going on?" He asked without any greetings.

She took a deep breath to chase any emotion from her voice as Tony coughed again. "I am on my way to Bethesda, Tony is coughing up blood."

He sighed forcefully. "I will meet you up there." He said and hung up the phone. Ziva placed her phone in her coat pocket to avoid bumping Tony who had his eyes closed.

His chest was on fire and each cough was worse than the other, not that he would ever admit to it. Just like that he had coughed up blood the night before, but only once, he was fine. The y-pestis wasn't affecting him, he just had a cold. "Tony, tell me what you are feeling." Ziva said forcefully.

"Cold and congested." Tony answered weakly.

It wasn't the truth and she knew it. "Tony." She said using her intimidating voice on him.

He coughed again. "Chest hurts. Hurts to breathe." He said in broken sentences, she watched as his breathing had started to go faster and shallower.

"Stay with me Tony, we are almost there." She said, running her hand through his hair. The hospital came in view and she shared a look with Palmer in the rearview mirror. He pulled his car through the overhang and put it in park before looking at her for instructions. "Help me get him out."

Getting him out was worse than getting him in. His body grew stiff and it was painful for him to move, Ziva sat him up and Palmer gently pulled him out of the car, wincing when he saw small droplets of blood on the back of the chair, but gasped when he saw the puddle on Ziva's leg. She took his weight and motioned for him to fetch help. "You got blood all over his new car." She said lightly, hoping to get a response from him.

"Bill me." He said with a smile and burying his face into her neck. His forehead was burning against her neck, but she didn't say anything only holding him as Palmer came running back out with a parade of people.

They grabbed him and sat him down on the gurney. "What is going on?" Asked one of the men, Tony sent Ziva a look to speak for him as an oxygen mask on his face and they started to lead him towards the emergency room.

"He is coughing up blood, fever, chills and chest pain." Ziva said, trotting alongside the bed to keep up with the surrounding people's long strides.

They reached a trauma bay. "Name?" One doctor said.

"Anthony DiNozzo, he is thirty-five years old." Ziva shouted over the commotion, Tony grabbed her arm and she leaned in so he could whisper into her ear. "He says he needs a Doctor Brad Pitt."

One doctor shook his head. "He isn't an emergency room doc." The man said. "Get her out of here. . ."

"He was the doctor who treated him a couple of years ago when he was exposed to the pneumonic plague." Ziva said impatiently. The doctors shared another look and one jumped up to press a button on the side next to the door, the room flashed red and she knew what that meant the room was in quarantine.

"Go get Dr. Pitt." The older doctor said to another doctor as he nodded to a nurse. "We need to treat this as if he is infected, get her and the driver into decontamination. . ."

She didn't hear what else was said as she was pushed out of the room and found herself standing in front of a row of showers, wrapped in a towel standing next to a practically naked Medical Examiners assistant.

A man dressed in a HAZMAT suit stood in front of them giving them instructions, but she stopped listening. Was it possible that Tony could've been exposed to this disease that nearly killed him all those years ago? She was all but shoved into the shower stall and the hot water was what she needed to warm her up. "Ziva?"

"Yeah, Jimmy?" She asked as she turned it hotter.

"What is going on?" He asked, his voice echoing through the small room.

"I do not know." Her voice echoed like his as she rested her head on the wall, letting the water run down her back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Not Okay**

**Author: Ihave207Bones, SplishySplash**

**Pairing: Tony/Ziva **

**Rating: K+ **

**Spoiler: Up to seven**

**Summary: Tony is really sick and the doctors think it has to do with his exposure to the pneumonic plague. It's Ziva's turn to see what he went through.**

As she turned the water off, her name was called. "Ms. David?" It was one of the doctors who met them at the door. She quickly wrapped a towel around her body and stepped out, the water dripping onto the floor. The man was dressed in a HAZMAT suit and had a file in his hand.

"Yes?" She asked with a frown, the sinking feeling in her stomach was getting deeper, Palmer came out of his stall with his eyes squinted and towel tied tightly around his waist. "Is Tony alright?"

The man looked grimly at his feet, but said nothing about her partner. "We are going to put you both in a room and put you on an antibiotic for the next seventy two hours, to make sure you are not contagious."

Ziva grew furious very quickly and she grabbed the man who turned away from them. "I want to know how Tony is." She snapped, folding her arms tightly to come off frightening. Palmer fell for it, taking a step back from her, but the HAZMAT man didn't.

"I am sorry, Ms. David." He said. "I don't know anything about him at this point." Ziva took a step towards him and grabbed him by the suit, pulling him close to her face and he folded. "I will send somebody to talk to you."

She sighed and looked at Palmer apologetically it was her fault that he was in this mess in the first place. "I'm sorry, Jimmy." She said, reaching for the scrubs that sat on a chair.

He shrugged and placed the top of his scrubs on. "It's alright, Ziva." He said kindly, turning his back to give her some privacy while she changed. "It isn't like we are infected with the plague, right?"

Ziva didn't know how to answer him and before she could another precautionary dressed man stepped into the room. "If you follow me, I will take you to your suite." He said, attempting at humor and failed as Ziva glared at him. He cleared his throat. "It was a joke, I will take you to your room." He was young, a nurse's aide maybe, but that didn't give him the right to joke in this situation and Ziva immediately hated him.

The room wasn't one she had ever seen before. It was a row of beds surrounded by a black light and glass, looking like one of Tony science fiction movies that he loved so much. It had double doors and the room was decompressed. "Welcome to Chez' Quarantine, you can choose which bed . . ."

Ziva rolled her eyes and turned to face him, she was pissed. "Who do you think you are?" She hissed.

"My name is Dr. Reece Miller, I am a resident." He said almost cocky.

She stepped close and poked him with her sharp finger. "Then you should know that this not a joking matter, my partner could be infected with a virus that nearly killed him five years ago. You will find someone who knows something about him or else I will break. . ." She snapped and he froze. The inside set of doors opened with a loud hiss and it momentarily caught her attention. Tony laid on the first bed amidst the tubes and wires, her anger subsided as she trotted to his side. "Tony."

He coughed with a smile on his face. "Threatening the staff. . ." He coughed again. "Already?"

She let out a weak laugh and her hand went through his damp hair. "How are you feeling?" She asked in a whisper. Palmer had disappeared onto a bed at the end of the room to give the partners as much privacy as possible.

"Like I have. . ." He started but was interrupted by another rib shattering cough. ". . . Been here before."

The sliding glass door opened again and a doctor dressed in just a white lab coat and breathing mask walked in. "Tony, I told you that I didn't want to meet under these circumstances again." The man said, his eyes dancing under the black lights. He looked over to Ziva and extended his hand. "Doctor Brad Pitt, no relation to the actor."

She raised an eye brow as if she was supposed to know who that was and looked to Tony. "Mr. and," He coughed again and groaned. "Mrs. Smith, remember?"

She nodded in understanding and took his hand. "Ziva David." She answered.

He picked up Tony's charts and began to read the notes the ER doctors wrote down. "And you were the unlucky one to be around him this time?" He said jokingly, but his smile was hidden under the mask. "So Tony, you know the drill. We will take everyone's blood and test it to see if you came into contact with y-pestis, the put you all on a large dose of streptomycin."

Dr. Pitt motioned for the new doctor to help draw blood from the two that were not bed bound and he chose to work on Palmer. Ziva glared at him and Doctor Pitt motioned for her to sit on the bed, Tony weakly turned his head to watch her. She held her arm out and skillfully he slid the needle into her arm, she didn't flinch as she watched her blood fill the vile. "How do you know Tony?"

"He's my partner at NCIS." She said as he filled another vile.

"Really? Whatever happened to Caitlin Todd?" He asked pulling the needle out of her arm and replacing it with a gauze pad. "She was in here last time with Tony, I really like her."

Ziva looked away with and Tony gasped before coughing again, this time throwing him into a full fit. The doctor looked between the two of them and Ziva took a grip of the gauze so he could look him over, he placed a bigger mask on him and turned it up higher in hopes of not having to shove a tube down his throat. The resident abandoned Palmer as both of them began to work on controlling his oxygen intake, "His O2 stats are dropping. Was he given the streptomycin yet?" The doctor shouted at the younger man, who shook his head and injected it into the IV line. Ziva stepped back to get out of the way and was startled by a knock on the wall drew her attention away from her suffocating partner. "It is going up slightly, we will need to monitor it and if it drop below eighty then we will have to tube him. . ."

It was Gibbs and Ducky. She wandered over to the speaker and she pressed the call button with a bleak smile on her face. "How is he?" Gibbs asked in a low voice.

She shook her head and fought to keep her tough exterior. "I do not know much about his condition, he does not look good." She said weakly, her hand went to her face as a brief moment of panic went through her and she took a shaky breath to calm herself. "He was coughing up blood so much blood."

"Has he said anything about opening anything?" Ducky asked sympathetically, it was hard enough to watch Kate sit through Tony's ordeal, but Ziva was different and more emotionally invested in him.

She shook her head negatively. "He has not been able to talk much." She answered.

Gibbs sighed and rubbed his face. "I sent the CDC to his place to check his things and basically took the same precautions as last time." He said and looked away, forgetting momentarily that Ziva wasn't there for the last time, that it wasn't long after Tony was hospitalized that Kate was killed. "I will get you the case file so you would be up to speed."

"You don't think it was the same people, do you?" Ziva asked, she was well versed herself on what had happened last time when she thought he was sick, but in reality he was dating a woman to get close to her father.

"The woman we arrested for it died in prison last year, but it doesn't mean that someone else could hold a grudge. But we won't know until we get the CDC report and the blood work, I have McGee and Abby running every possible lead if it comes down to that."

She nodded and turned to Tony who was now laying comfortably in bed, offering her a tired smile. "What can I do?" She asked, turning back slowly.

"Just look after him." Gibbs said, she was about to argue but he gave her a look that dared her to and she stopped. "He needs you right now, Ziva."

She nodded with a sigh. "Alright." She said accepting the task weakly.

"We will be back later with more information." Gibbs said with a comforting smile and he turned to leave, but turned back to her. "Tell him that he doesn't have my permission to die."

"Heard that . . ."Tony started and groaned. "Boss. Trying."

Gibbs chuckled before turning away. Ziva scanned the box for Palmer, it wasn't like he could go far, he was taking advantage of the situation and he was asleep in his bed at the far end, She went back to Tony's bed as Brad was adding something to his chart. "I will give you something to help you with the pain and put you to sleep, the results should be back in a few hours and we can get the ball rolling." He said.

Tony shook his head negatively and Ziva slipped her hands into his. "Don't want to sleep." He said weakly, his breaths were escaping him in wheezes that sounded painful.

"Why not Tony?" Ziva asked softly before the doctor could say anything. He shook his head and motioned towards their joined hands. "I cannot go anywhere Tony."

With a sigh, he nodded to the doctor who placed the drug into his IV and the effects were almost instant as the pain in his chest and head began to go away. The doctor began to talk to Ziva, but he couldn't understand what he was saying though her voice rang clearly.

Dr. Pitt left and Ziva moved to go sit on the bed next to him, but he wouldn't release his grip. "Lay with me, please." He asked. She nodded as crawled up on the bed next to him, mindful of all the wires that came from his arms and chest, his head went to her shoulder and he slowly he began to doze off.

She analyzed the situation, this should have been awkward and yet, it was not. When she thought about it, they both had been more compromising positions than this in the past and it made her feel better that she could hear and feel his breath on her neck. She was going to help him get through this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Not Okay**

**Author: Ihave207Bones, SplishySplash**

**Pairing: Tony/Ziva**

**Rating: T**

**Spoiler: Up to season 7 **

**Summary: Tony is really sick. It's Ziva's turn to see what Kate went through during S.W.A.K.**

Ziva sat on the bed with Tony for hours, through Palmer finally waking up and having a conversation about the last time the man asleep on her shoulder was in this situation and something that she didn't know. It was one of his first times working at NCIS, but at the time it was only temporary because the aide before him was out for medical leave.

The conversation grew awkward when she connected the pieces. She had done a lot of research about the NCIS before she arrived and knew that the aide before him was shot by her half brother. But before they could go into detail, the younger doctor came in with their rounds of a precautionary cocktail and a stack of magazines.

Palmer picked up one about sports and Ziva didn't move only shifting slightly as her legs was falling asleep. The slight shift was enough for Tony's grip on her waist to tighten and his eyes to open slowly. Ziva smiled softly. "I'm sorry, my legs were falling asleep."

"You didn't have to stay. . ." He said weakly, his voice was hoarse and Ziva reached behind her for the pitcher of water and shifted to pour him a glass. She placed it the cup to his lips and he took a sip with a wince, the cold water irritated his sore throat but it felt welcomed.

"It is quite alright, I can move if you would like." She said, moving to sit up and he tugged on her hand not allowing her to get up. "Or I can stay right here."

"Don't please." He said and looked down to their joined hands, it was comforting to him and it was something he was denied last time. "Kate only complained about . . ." He coughed again. "Movie quotes."

She shrugged and slid down the bed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Kate did not know what she was missing." She answered and found it odd that they had never really talked openly about the woman who was before her until now. "You are a quite comfortable."

He tried to shrug it off, but his achy muscles wouldn't allow for it. "I do what I can." He said as Dr. Pitt came in. Slowly Ziva got up to allow for him to check him over, leaving him missing the warmth her tiny body provided. "How do you find all of these pretty women, Tony?"

"My charm." He answered with another cough/groan mix.

Ziva let a laugh escape her lips, gaining both pairs of eyes as she sat on the bed next to Tony with a magazine in her hand. She curled on her side facing him and turned her attention to the magazine to give him a little bit of privacy. "How are you feeling Tony?" The doctor asked a little more seriously.

"No change." He answered hoarsely. Dr. Pitt checked him over, running his hands over his swollen glands and checked his throat before writing on his chart. Ziva's interests peaked as she kept her eyes on the colorful celebrity filled pages Tony hadn't said anything about being in pain. The doctor placed the stethoscope in his ears and listened to his chest.

"Breath in." The doctor said and Tony took a deep breath, it was shallow and noisy. "Again. I am going to have Doctor Miller give something to help with the pain that won't knock you out and I am going to check on the blood results."

Tony leaned back as the resident placed the medication through his IV port to look at Ziva, whose eyes had closed with her hair tangled hair resting on her shoulders, the magazine lay abandoned on the bed about to fall onto the floor. When Dr. Miller finished, he muttered something about coming back later or something and Tony searched the small box for Palmer.

The autopsy gremlin got up and came over to his bed. "How are you feeling?" He asked awkwardly.

Tony shrugged. "Can't complain." He said hoarsely. "Could be worse."

Palmer smiled and pulled out something from behind his back. "I had Dr. Pitt sneak this in for you." It was the newest edition of GSM, which was probably waiting for him in his mailbox.

Tony smiled brightly. "You know me too well." Tony said, taking the magazine into his hand and began to flip through the pages. "Thank you."

Palmer nodded and turned to go back to his bed when a knock on the glass made him look up. Gibbs, McGee and Ducky stood on the other side of the glass and Gibbs pointed towards Ziva after he returned Tony's wave and Palmer shook her awake, much to Tony's displeasure. She jumped up, as he had seen her do a million times, and move into a defensive position before Palmer pointed towards their friends outside.

She crossed the box and pressed the intercom button. "Did you find anything?" She asked in a whisper, turning to see Palmer and Tony reading from the same magazine, Tony looked up and caught her eye before she turned back to Gibbs.

"We didn't find anything." McGee answered. "We swept his apartment, his car and the entire NCIS building for anything, it was clean."

Her hands went to her forehead as the imminent headache was setting in before she looked up. "Could he have thrown it away?" Ziva asked.

McGee shook his head. "Any residue would've left trace elements and between me and Abby and the CDC we've combed through every trace element found."

"So this could just be pneumonia?" Ziva asked almost excitedly.

Her headache was about to get worse. "Not necessarily." Said Ducky with a frown, he crossed his arms as he usually did when he was going to explain some bad news. "The Y-pestis could have made a pocket in his lungs and it could have burst, causing a relapse."

"Why now?"Ziva asked, her voice rose in pitch. "I am pretty sure Tony has done things to warrant these pockets to burst. . ."

Ducky shook his head. He didn't know either. "I could be wrong, Ziva. We need to wait for the blood results to get it." Ducky said sympathetically, his heart broke because she was in Kate's shoes this time and when she stepped out of the box and cried into his arms with all faith that he would get better gone down the drain, his own faith in the man had diminished and yet that was five years ago, how much more could his lungs take before they fail?

Ziva tiredly wiped her eyes, not allowing the tears to fall in front of her boss. "He will be alright, Ziva." Gibbs said firmly. Dr. Pitt came into the room with the folder in his hand and gained four pairs of eyes on him.

"I have the blood results." He said excitedly and Ziva held her breath. "Everyone came back negative."

"Even Tony?" Asked Gibbs for assurance.

Dr. Pitt nodded. "He just has a severe case of pneumonia." He answered with a broad smile. "We will put him on a high dose cocktail of penicillin and steroids . . ."

A loud crash from behind Ziva made her turn around to see everything around Tony was now on the floor and he had no control of his body as he was taken over by a seizure. Ziva rushed over to them as Palmer was tearing away his top as she acted without thought and pressed the emergency peddle on the floor with her foot for the bed to fall flat.

She turned to the medical cart next to her and flung open the doors, what she needed was right in front and she prepared the syringe quickly before inserting the drug into his neck.

Almost instantly he stopped convulsing and Palmer leaned in to check his breathing. "He's not breathing." He said as Ziva threw the needle on the table and he scanned the room for the doctor. Dr. Pitt stood pressing the open door button frantically and yelling instructions that were muffled by the thick glass. Ziva pressed her lips to his, blowing oxygen into his lungs and yet it wasn't enough and Palmer knew that. "We need to intubate him."

They pushed the bed out enough for Ziva to fit behind it and Palmer handed her the kit without thinking. She opened it with it ease and stuck the silver blade into Tony's mouth, pushing away the tongue and searching for opening before Palmer handed her the tube and she placed it into his airway. "Mask." She said as it was connected to the newly placed tube and squeezed the air into his lungs, finding some relief as his chest was rising with every push of air into his body.

The doctor finally made it in followed by an army of other doctors. "What the hell are you thinking? Do you even know what you are doing?" He yelled, pushing both of them away from Tony's unconscious body.

Both Palmer and Ziva were pushed of the box by a large orderly, both laced with adrenaline that she didn't realize that she was standing in the arms of her boss with a steady flow of tears running down her face. She was trembling against him so Gibbs held her tightly against his chest as she stood there quietly, willing the adrenaline to leave her body and for her to calm down before he questioned her. Gibbs looked at the younger man as he placed a supporting hand on her back with his back to the commotion behind them.

To say that he was stunned was an understatement, he was in awe as he watched her work without thinking and calming her quivering partner with a syringe as the doctor fought to catch her attention. They watched as Palmer said something to her and she pressed her mouth to his, willing the air into his lungs. Dr. Pitt yelled for help and was struggling to get inside as she placed the tube into his throat, where did she learn to do that? Tony may not be breathing on his own, but he was still alive thanks to her quick thinking, something he had always admired about her.

Gibbs pulled her back away from him for a moment to look her in the eye, his hand cupping her cheek. "Everything is going to be alright." He whispered to her, tilting her head to look up at him. "We've been through this before he will get through this again, Ziva."


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Not Okay**

**Author: Ihave207Bones, SplishySplash**

**Pairing: Tony/Ziva**

**Rating: K**

**Spoiler: Up to season 7**

**Summary: Tony is really sick, now it's Ziva's turn to see what Kate went through during S.W.A.K.**

It had been over an hour.

Since she had heard his voice, since he was conscious and full of life. Since she saved his life and they hadn't heard anything about his condition from the doctors.

Gibbs and McGee led her from the view of the giant glass box that held her partner and she did all she could do to stay on her feet. Ziva collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor slowly, burying her face into her knees and breathing heavily, forcing herself to remain in control of her emotions. His situation was not something that she did, was it?

She knew she would have to explain her actions, how she knew to give him the right drug to stop his convulsions or how she knew how to intubate properly, but she didn't want to. Gibbs was being patient with her, but it wouldn't last long until his curiosity got the best of him and she was interrogated by him. She closed her eyes against her knees and her breathing slowed to normal, it wasn't something she had did, the seizure had to have been caused by something he was given right before the seizure. A reaction to a steroid maybe?

Ziva felt a warm arm pull her against a strong, solid chest and knew from the familiarity of the arm and the smell of coffee that it was her boss that had gathered her into his arms. She hated this feeling, the feeling of uselessness and weakness that was swallowing her whole and yet she didn't move as he gave instructions to McGee, leaving the two of them in the hallway alone and she had long lost interest where Ducky and Palmer had disappeared to.

She gathered her thoughts and looked to what she knew: Tony had never stopped breathing last time he was in this situation, but this time he didn't really have the plague only pneumonia. The cases couldn't be compared, but there must be more to do to save him.

Gibbs ran a hand through her knotted hair and only because she was so close to the man she could feel him tremble slightly, he was as human as she was and that Tony, who had been a constant in both of their lives, may not survive this. If Gibbs was worried, she was terrified.

The pair said nothing, only sitting on the floor in silence trying to be strong for the other when Doctor Pitt finally came out with a tired hand running through his sandy blonde hair, he looked to have aged ten years in the hour that he was working on Tony. He stood in front of him, his normally strait posture was slacked and waited for a moment before Gibbs looked up. "He's stable and we were able to remove the breathing tube."

"Is he conscious?" Gibbs asked and Ziva didn't move, her face still buried into her knees.

Dr. Pitt shook his head negatively. "He won't be awake for awhile, the Ativan that Ms. David gave him will knock him out for awhile." He said, hoping to get an insight on Ziva's actions in the box, she gave him nothing. "But the good thing is that we were able to give him a strong medication, so he should be on his way to recovery."

"What caused the seizures?" Gibbs asked.

He sighed heavily and rubbed away the headache with his fingers. "It was a reaction to a very high dose of a steroid that was given to him." He said grimly. "But the good news is that there shouldn't be any side effects from the steroids or the seizure."

Ziva looked up and her glare was lethal as she got to her feet. "Shouldn't be any side effects?" She repeated, even using a contraction in her mocking. Tony would've been proud. "You do realize the dose to induce a seizure is well over double the normal dose one would give to a pneumonia patient?"

"We are looking into. . ." Dr. Pitt tried to explain before Ziva exploded.

"Looking into it? He could've been killed!" She roared and took a step forward Gibbs placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her at bay. "He would have suffocated if Jimmy and I were not in the box with him to intubate him. . ."

This time he interrupted her. "Do you understand the damage you could have caused if you intubated him wrong? It's not like they do it on TV, it is a very dangerous procedure. You could've put him into a coma if you overdosed him on Ativan."

She shook her head and her glare grew darker as she escaped the grips of the older man and grabbed the lapels of the white jacket, pinning him to the wall with her arm fastened over his airway. "You do not think I do not know that?" She snarled lowly. "I did what I had to do to save his life because of the incompetency of the staff at this hospital who put him in that situation in the first place."Her name was being called from behind her and it wasn't until she was being physically pulled away from him that she recognized Gibbs calling her name and they weren't alone, but she still stood her ground. They were surrounded by her stunned coworkers and security with their hands on their holsters awaiting the situation to get out of control. "If something happens to him, I will. . ."

"Ziva let him go." Gibbs said sternly into her ear, he didn't need one agent in a hospital bed and another in jail. She continued to glare and her grip tightened as her arm pressed down on his airway as the man started to cough. "Ziva."

She released her grip and he fell on to the floor before walking away in a huff. Gibbs extended his hand to the doctor and helped him to his feet as he realized just how surrounded they were, Abby, McGee, Ducky and Palmer had seen Ziva's display at power, something she tried to keep under lock and key when she was around them as if to hide her much darker, more threatening side. "Is this normal for her?" The doctor asked wiping his neck.

"You better solve this before I let her kill you." Gibbs said before turning on his heels and walking after her leaving the breathless doctor with their coworkers.

When he found her he was surprised to see that she had weaseled her way next to Tony, her small hand was wove in between his long fingers. Her head was hung down and for the first time since this whole mess started she was crying, Gibbs could see the tear glistening in the black light.

He stood behind her with his arms folded as he waited for her to compose herself. She shook her head when she heard his shoes squeak against the linoleum and a sob escaped her lips. "I am not going to apologize for that." She said to Tony.

"I don't expect you to." He said, not moving from behind her.

Ziva released one of Tony's hands and wiped an angry tear from her face. "I do not know what you want me to say." She said after a long moment of silence.

Gibbs only shrugged and turned his attention to their joined hands and her gaze turned to him. "You don't have to say anything." He said patiently. "To me anyway."

She turned around more fully with a raised brow. "What?" She asked in a whisper. He placed a hand on her shoulder as the monitor next to them started to scream. She turned her attention back to Tony and the monitor, his heart beat raced on the monitor. "He is waking up."

His eyes opened and he looked around the room panicked. "Kate?" He said hoarsely, leaning up slightly to find the dark haired woman who shared the box with him. When she was nowhere in sight, he looked towards Ziva and his face showed no recognition until he looked to Gibb. "Boss, where is Kate?"


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Not Okay

Author: SplishySplash:

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance

Pairing: Tony/Ziva, all characters in play

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's been awhile, no worries though I will be home to civilization in 2 weeks to catch up on EVERYTHING! RR

Summary: Tony is really sick and the doctors think it has to do with his exposure to the pneumonic plague. It's Ziva's turn to see what he went through.

"_Kate?"_

Gibbs shook his head and the woman took a step back, his concern doubled. What had the doctors given him to make him lose his mind? "Kate's not here, Tony." He said carefully, he watched as she slowly lost her composure.

He looked between both Gibbs and the woman he didn't recognize. "Where did she go?" He asked with his voice hoarse from the breathing tube she inserted earlier and he wasn't sure where he was, but from the look of his boss it wasn't good. "What is going on?"

The woman turned away with a gasp before slowly walking away and Gibbs didn't turn to watch her leave. "You have pneumonia, Tony." He said softly, for him anyway. "You are in the hospital."

Made sense, the room was sterile enough to eat off of from what he could see at least. "That explains why . . . I'm feeling this way." He said with a cough and a groan. "Brain's not working."

"I'm not too sure it has ever worked." Gibbs said, catching Tony off guard and he raised his brow in confusion before coughing again. Gibbs turned and grabbed a water pitcher from the side table farthest from him. He filled a small cup and handed it to him when he realized just how much he hurt. His chest hurt from the pneumonia, but his muscles ached and he could barely grasp the cup in his hand, Gibbs had to grab it before he spilled it. The cold water soothed his throat and seemed to put out the fire in his chest, but it didn't settle the fog that filled his brain and it was as if Gibbs could read his mind. "You've also had a seizure and were intubated for about an hour."

He coughed. "Busy day?" He tried to smile and Gibbs nodded with an eye roll.

Gibbs nodded. "You can say that." He said taciturnly, folding his arms and watching him with the steely gaze that he knew too well. "You've upset a lot of people today."

Tony wanted to scoff, it wasn't like he wanted to be in the hospital sick, but the woman who was in the room with them was more than upset and though he didn't know who she was, he truly felt bad. "Who was that with you?"

"That was Ziva, she's your partner." He said

Before he could question Gibbs, the doctor came in. The doctor caught sight of his confused look and knew immediately something was amiss. "How are you feeling Tony?" He asked, pulling out his pen light and starting his examination.

"Partner?" Tony asked with a frown, he forced himself to sit up more fully as he ignored the doctor. "What about Kate?"

Gibbs sighed and didn't seem to know what to say but the doctor spoke up before Gibbs could say anything. "Tony do you know what year it is?"

He closed his eyes, rubbing his free hand across his eyes as he focused through the fog. He didn't know what year was and he wasn't sure why Kate wasn't there, she was there before he . . . had a seizure? "I don't know."

Dr. Pitt flashed a light into his eyes and shared a look with Gibbs. "What is the last thing you remember?" He asked.

"I think the sailor who died in Iraq. . . silver star?" He guessed and Gibbs sighed, it was the case before he had gotten sick the first time. Tony turned his head and picked up the magazine from the counter and looked at it confused. "January 2010, that isn't right." He looked back up at Gibbs and Dr. Pitt. "Is it?"

The doctor took a deep breath. "It is the correct date." He said softly. "Why don't you get some rest maybe that will clear up your thoughts."

Tony seemed to approve of that answer and watched as the doctor and his boss started to exit the box, before he remembered the upset woman. "Hey boss?" He called across and realized just how scratchy he sounded.

"Yeah Tony?" Gibbs asked turning around to look at him.

Tony sighed deeply as the drowsiness took over. "Will you tell her that I'm sorry I upset her?"

He asked solemnly. "You know the pretty woman. . ." He coughed loudly, a slight groan escaped his lips as his lungs felt like fire. ". . . the one who was. . ."

Gibbs held up his hand to quiet him, knowing that he needed to save his strength. "Yeah I'll tell her." He said with a sigh and stepped out of the box and it swished behind him.

He was greeted by McGee who approached him breathlessly. "Ziva said that Tony was awake?" McGee asked with a relieved and worried smile.

With another deep sigh, Gibbs willed the headache away. "He's awake, just doesn't remember the last five years." He answered, rubbing the knot in the back of his neck. "Or Ziva."

McGee paled. "That explains. . ." He mutters, but instead of rambling he stood up straighter. He knew that Gibbs didn't need him to have a mental breakdown on top of Ziva's nor Tony's amnesia. "I guess I will go sit with him."

"Thanks." Gibbs said before making his way to the doctor who was behind the desk writing on the clipboard. "What do you think?"

The doctor looked up at him questionably. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"The amnesia?"

"Oh? Well slight amnesia is expected after all that he went through. . ." The doctor started to explain before Gibbs interrupted angrily.

"Slight amnesia? He doesn't remember the last five years of his life!" Gibbs seethed, slamming his hand down on the desk. The doctor startled slightly and still looked at him confused.

The doctor froze and looked up at the older man slightly surprised. "Five years?" He asked. "I know a lot has changed since I saw him last. . ."

Gibbs stepped in closer and lowered his voice to a low rumble as the room began to fill with his team watching him with concern, saves for the partner in question. "Kate's dead." He said and the doctor gasped.

McGee entered the box and even thought groggy he could see Tony perk up slightly. "Probie!"

He said excitedly, his voice sounded like he had just smoke about a dozen cigarettes.

"How are you feeling, Tony?" He asked tentatively.

He flashed a smile in his direction. " 've been better." He answered and his eye brow shot up curiously. "Confused."

"What are you confused about?" McGee asked, it wasn't often that Tony admitted to being confused and he needed to be strong for his friend.

Tony sighed and coughed. "I can't think straight . . . brain foggy." He explained slowly. "I don't know what's going on. . ." He started to cough again it was hacking and painful from the sound of it.

"You are sick. . ." McGee started, before he interrupted as old Tony interrupted with a smart ass remark.

"I think I got that part." He answered with a laugh that turned into a cough. He pointed his shaky, wired covered hand in the direction of the water pitcher. McGee made a face as he poured the water into a cup.

While the cool water soothed his throat, McGee finished filling him in. "We thought that you caught the plague again, but you just have pneumonia."

He nearly spit out the water. "Plague?" He asked, sitting up straight.

"Yes, five years ago." McGee said softly, reminiscing of the last time he was here. "You opened a letter that had been laced with the pneumonic plague and both you and Kate were quarantined for it."

"Where's Kate now? Surely she doesn't want . . . to miss out on the fun a . . . second time." Tony said with another cough.

The feeling in McGee's stomach dropped, Gibbs didn't tell him how to handle this situation. He could keep quiet and then deal with Tony's wrath later, if he did tell him who knew what would happen but it could snap him out of it or become upset about Kate's death again. McGee swallowed and decided to tell him. "Kate died five years ago."

For Tony it was like the world stopped turning for a brief moment. "Died? How?" He cried out, before closing his eyes and felt the stinging of tears in his eyes.

Gibbs found Ziva sitting outside on a bench just as the snow started to fall again. She shivered as she wiped blindly the tears that escaped her strong exterior. "You're going to end up in your own bed here." Gibbs said lightly, pulling off his sports jacket and wrapping it around her bare arms.

"I just needed a moment to . . . clear my thoughts." She said, sitting up straighter. "I feel better now."

Gibbs shook his head and sat next to her, looking off to the distance. "You're lying." She knew better than to argue with Gibbs, she took a deep breath to keep herself under control. "He apologized for upsetting you."

A brief swell of anger coursed through her and she trembled next to him. "He does not even remember who I am."

With a sigh the older man rubbed the back of his neck, he didn't want to be the one to discuss relationships, let alone the relationship between Tony and Ziva, but the paternal side of his didn't want to see her upset like this. "He cares about you." He answered softly. "He wouldn't have sent me after you if he didn't."

She let out an angry laugh and looked off into the distance, the snow not bothering her anymore.

And Gibbs waited for her to speak again.

She didn't though, only closing her eyes and allowed herself to be pulled into his paternal embrace. She didn't sob nor shake, he wasn't even sure she was crying and he could feel her breath deeply against him. When she finally pulled back, he could see the tears streaking down her cheeks and she wiped them away slowly. "Let's go inside." Gibbs said gruffly.

Ziva nodded and stood up slowly, it was then she realized just how cold she was and she padded her way towards the hospital with Gibbs in tow. But once she stepped inside the door, Gibbs placed a hand on her arm, stalling her long enough to turn to face him and gathering her into his arms. He could feel her breathing heavy against him, but the tension melting as his warm breath caressed her ear in a whisper.

McGee took a deep breath and wished he didn't open that can of worms. "She was shot." He answered shakily, he hated recalling one of the darkest days of his life. "Kate was shot by Ari Haswari."

Tony's features grew dark as he processed the information, but he remained quiet.

He remembered Ari Haswari. "Ziva came in to help handle the situation and we got a new director." McGee went on and Tony perked up at the sound of the familiar name, it didn't go unnoticed by the younger agent. "Ziva David was sent from Mossad . . ."

Tony interrupted at that point. "She's from Israel?" He rasped.

McGee nodded. "She's the daughter of the director of Mossad and you were very suspicious of her when Gibbs had you follow her." He reminisced with a soft smile, he remembered Tony telling him about the encounter at the hotel in the rain. "I don't think suspicious is the correct word, more like impressed by her." He grew somber. "In the end we thought Gibbs had killed him in his basement with Ziva there, but in reality Ziva had killed him and Gibbs was protecting her from Mossad, because if Director David found out that she had killed her own brother. . ."

That surprised Tony and the probie had stopped talking for just a brief moment for him to process the information. "Eventually she joined the team and she is a very talented investigator. You like to call her a ninja because her skills are amazing and the two of you banter and argue like a married couple."

Tony looked away for a second. "You make it sound like . . . cough . . . we are together." He said and that threw a large curveball at the probie.

In reality McGee had made millions off their non-relationship and he knew deep down that Tony did love Ziva, more than he admitted to under a normal state and McGee sighed, he was already this honest with him, why would he stop now? "You love her." He answered and Tony raised a brow, the Tony five years ago didn't just fall in 'love' with anybody and McGee knew that it was what he was thinking. "I know what you are thinking, but you've changed a lot in the last five years."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Not Okay

Author: SplishySplash

Genre: Hurt/comfort, Romance

Pairing: Tony/Ziva

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this new computer (thus why it took me so long to post)

Summary: Tony is sick.

When he awoke, his mind was still foggy from all of the drugs and commotion that his body had gone through in the last few hours. He was surprised to see the woman he was 'in love' with asleep in the corner chair with her legs cramped underneath her small body. Even though he couldn't remember her, he could see it, see that he could be attracted to her.

She was beautiful, despite the dark circles under her eyes and she looked as if she hadn't eaten much lately, but how would he know? He didn't know her, well according to his mental capacity.

He felt grown up though.

He also wished that he could remember her or anything from the last five years, Kate's death was another low blow. He missed Kate, like a sister. He had gone through this before with her. But what about McGee and Gibbs, how much had the last five years affected them? They must care enough to sit this out a second time. He knew his relationship with McGee had grown more familial, enough for the younger man to replay his life for him and to be honest enough to state his obviously more than professional relationship with the woman sleeping across from him.

What about Gibbs? He obviously cared about the woman's feeling and was here supporting him, somewhere.

Tony felt bad.

Ziva still sat next to him, hell she saved his life even and he couldn't remember. He could feel the attraction that McGee talked about and maybe he was in love.

No, Anthony DiNozzo was in love.

He sighed, deep down in his brain he knew it. It was a foreign feeling and he wondered how long he had felt this way. She was hot, and probably just as hot in the bedroom. Now THAT was a normal feeling.

"I know that face." Said a sleepy voice from across the room interrupting his streaming of thoughts. "You are thinking something dirty."

He flashed a smile. "You obviously know me." He answered as he flashed Ziva a dirty smile.

"A little too well Tony." She answered with a yawn, she extended her legs and slowly she got up, crossing the room to his bed. "How are you feeling?"

He sobered up, "I've been better." He said, looking her over. "This whole not having a memory sucks."

She took a deep steadying breath and ran her hands through his hair. "I know." She said falling silent. He watched her has she worked out the knots that had built up in his neglected hair. It gave him the opportunity to admire her, she was more than smoking hot, she truly was beautiful. He still felt bad for putting her through this, he just wanted something to jolt his memory back to normal.

"I'm sorry." He said disturbing the silence. "I know it's a sign of weakness. . ."

"What for?" She asked as she stopped raking her hands through his hair and he missed the touch. Her gaze was intense and he couldn't bring himself to break it.

He grabbed her hand before she could completely withdraw it. "I'm sorry for forgetting you." He answered truthfully. "McGee was telling me about you and I wish I could remember all of it."

She squeezed his hand tightly and smiled. "When you do get your memory back I will kick your ass, but for right now I will forgive you." Her tone was light.

He deflected the intensity of the conversation with a small joke. "Why don't you do it now. It might jog my memory." He suggested.

Ziva shook her head. "I am not going to hurt you." She said firmly, almost offended that he had suggested.

He fell silent, almost awkwardly looking away from her, but the now Tony was still a cocky bastard and held his own. "I can think of some other ways to bring back memories . . ."

She almost did hit him, instead she squeezed his hand tightly and he could feel the bones pop in her grip. He yanked his hand out with a groan. She stood up and got really close, whispering in his ear. "I do not think you are up for that kind of activity." Her voice sent shivers up his spine. The door opened and a very startled orderly with a tray in her hand froze.

"Uh… sorry to interrupt, but I have your breakfast." She squeaked, Ziva took a step back with what Tony could describe as a satisfied look. The orderly brushed passed her and placed it on the table. "There's enough for both of you, I figured you would be staying. . ."

"Thank you." Ziva said, escorting her out of the room and shutting the door.

Tony chuckled. "I take it that THAT happens a lot?" He said pointing to the door and she shrugged.

"It is not the first time." She put the hospital table thing over his bed and crawled up on the foot of it, she was hungry and couldn't remember the last time she ate anything. He gave her a look as she uncovered the tray and she froze. "What?"

It was his turn to shrug, it was oddly intimate for them to eating breakfast in bed together. "Nothing." He answered, if this was okay when he remembered, he was okay with it now.

"Would you like me to move?" She asked, placing her feet on the floor.

He shook his head. "No, you're fine. I am just trying to figure you out, that's all." He answered and she cocked her head in confusion, trying to comprehend what he had just said. "I like this, with you." He motioned to the two of them on the bed. She brought her foot back and tucked it under her and picked up her fork.

"In that case, I am hungry." She said, digging into one plate. He watched her eat for a moment before digging into it himself. While her standard hospital food looked amazing, he was stuck eating soft foods that looked like mush.

He looked up and in Ziva's hand was a Jello cup. "Thanks." He said and its gelatinous coolness soothed his throat, she really did know that he preferred the sugary goodness of Jello when he was sick.

The look he was giving her made her uncomfortable. "What?" She asked with a weak smile.

"I think you should tell me about yourself." He said between bites and she gave him a look. "You know, maybe something will jog my memory and I want to hear it from you."

With a sigh, she leaned back against the footboard and was silent for a moment, Tony wondered if she would indulge him in his request. "I was born in Be'er Sheva, Israel, the middle child of a Mossad agent and a housewife. . ." She started to explain slowly.

He could tell she was hesitating telling her story. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath. "I do not know just how much McGee told you about Kate. . ." She answered after a while. Ziva looked almost guilty.

"That Ari Haswari killed her and then you came aboard to help catch him." Tony answered slowly.

Her gaze left his and went to her toes, suddenly she looked worried. "Ari was my half-brother."

It shocked him, he slightly wondered how he handled this the first time. "You are worried that it would change my opinion of you?" He asked softly, bringing her gaze up with his wire filled hand. "Because it doesn't change anything."

She took a stabling breath. "We can just say I was not very well liked when I was first assigned the liaison position." She said with a smile, remembering when Tony had her crawl through garbage.

Tony frowned again and dropped his hand. "What do you mean?"

"You were a big fan of hazing the new girl." Ziva answered truthfully and Tony looked nauseous. "It is okay, you did not do anything that I have not gotten you back for."

It seemed to lighten him up a little, he did tend to be an ass but he couldn't believe he was an ass to this wonderful woman who saved his life. He grew somber for a moment before his hand went back to map her cheek. "I'm sorry."

She took a hold of his hand in both of her smaller ones. "Do not apologize. . ."

"It's a sign of weakness." He said with her and she smiled. "Seems to me you've caught onto the rules."

She smiled. "You have taught me well." She answered softly.

They didn't hear the door open, but a voice startled them out of their trance. "Did you get your memory back?" Gibbs asked, Ziva dropped his hands to take the proffered cup of coffee.

"Not yet boss." Tony answered curiously.

Gibbs shrugged. "I thought it had, with all of this grab ass being played." He answered taking a sip of his coffee and Tony's mouth opened a couple of times in confusion, but stopped when Ziva started to laugh. Gibbs let out a small laugh at Tony's expense and sat a bag in her lap. "I had Abby pack a change of clothes for you."

She untangled her long legs and got off the bed, Tony immediately missing the warmth she provided. "I am going to take a shower." She announced before disappearing into the bathroom with a click of the door.

There was a semi-awkward silence, which always seemed to follow Gibbs before he spoke. "How's it going boss?" He asked.

The older man shrugged. "Been better."

Tony sighed and took the older man's silence as a 'what about you'. "I just found out that Ari Haswari was her brother." He said softly, it was still hard to stomach. She was related to the man who killed Kate, not that it affected her negatively, it was just BIG.

Gibbs nodded. "Did she mention that she shot him too?" He asked. Tony's face fell, no they hadn't gotten that far into the story. The water in the shower turned on and they fell into a deep silence.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Not Okay

Author: SplishySplash

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Romance

Pairing: TIVA

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is done… FINALLY!

Summary: Tony remembers

After another night sleeping in the chair, Ziva's body ached. Tony had offered her the other side of the bed, but then discouraged it because he was being woken up every hour for a vital check and didn't want to disturb her. She still woke up every time the door opened, but his whispers were harsh and not as quiet as he had hoped.

But the unmistakable stomping of platform shoes along the linoleum could be heard through the hospital and she knew that the over caffeinated forensic scientist was coming and she hoped that she brought more coffee. "Sounds like Abby." Tony commented, also awoken from slumber at the rhythmic steps.

The door crept open just a bit before she peaked through the crack. "Oh good you're awake." She said, her voice louder than normal to their sensitive ears.

"I am now." Tony said sitting up more fully and wiping the sleep from his eyes. Abby pressed her lips to his forehead before hugging Ziva and placing a hot cup of coffee in her hands.

Ziva smiled her thanks and took a sip from the cup. Abby sat next to Tony and began filling him on . . .something, she had lost interest as she stretched her aching muscles. She hadn't realized that she had groaned until two pairs of eyes looked at her. "Maybe you should go home and get some real sleep." Suggested Abby with a smile on her face.

"I am fine." Ziva suggested as something popped in the lumbar region of her back. She did have a nice new mattress and a bathtub that would fix this, but Tony needed her.

"It's okay, I will take care of Tony for a while." She said softly, reaching over the small space to pat her knee.

Ziva looked over at Tony who only smiled encouragingly. "You've been in the hospital for nearly four days, I think it would do you good to get some real sleep." He said with a little smile, she knew she must've looked bad.

She got to her feet, slowly but surely, and grabbed her bag before padding over to Tony and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "Call me if you remember my phone number?" She asked with a smile.

He nodded. "You'd be the first to know." He answered with a small laugh before she slowly made her way to the door and with a small wave she disappeared into the real world.

.*.*

The bubbles were exactly what she needed.

Her muscles were relaxed by the hot water as she mentally prepared a meal to take back to Tony later, after a nap of course, she was grateful that they had sent her home and Abby would keep the doctors in line until she returned.

She sighed, sinking deeper into the water. They had never talked about Kate or Ari, ever.

But then again communication wasn't their strongest suit.

It was when the water cooled that she finally got out and dried off with the fluffiest towel she owned before padding to her bedroom to put on the comfiest pj's she could find, which happened to be sweats and a long sleeved OSU shirt that technically didn't belong to her.

With the comfort of her new mattress, she fell asleep thinking about Tony. He was still the same man no matter if he got his memory back, he had just digressed some. As she thought about it, he hadn't hit on a single nurse since he woke up.

Sometimes, she didn't understand that man.

*.*.

Tony groaned and Abby immediately jumped into nurse mode. "What's wrong?" She fretted. "Do I need to go find a doctor?"

Tony shook his head. "I need to walk around or a change of scenery!" He whined, knowing full well that Abby would fall for it, Ziva he wasn't so sure about. His legs were cramping and stiff, he was sure atrophy was not far behind not to forget that he was going stir crazy.

"I'll go find Dr. Pitt." Abby said disappearing from the room and for the first time in four days he was alone.

It was then he realized that he missed Ziva.

His thoughts stopped before they started when Dr. Pitt and Abby entered the room. "Ms. Schiuto said you are going crazy." He said with a smile, gaining a firm nod from Tony. "Let me see if you can go for a walk.

"Please! I'm not asking for much." Whined Tony, the doctor laughed and pulled out his stethoscope, pressing it to his chest. Tony knew the procedure from sports physical in college and breathed in, out, held it and coughed. "Well?"

"The rattling in your lungs is nearly gone." The doctor filled in. "I'd say that if it weren't for the amnesia, I could almost send you home."

"I wish the amnesia would go away." Tony answered sitting up and putting his feet on the floor. "Ziva has filled me in on some movies that I had forgotten about in the last five years. I am disappointed in myself."

"Go for a walk Tony, it will make you feel better." Dr. Pitt suggested and Tony stopped for a moment to catch his breath, holding himself up with his arms.

He felt heavy, but he was determined to get up. The linoleum was cold against his feet and with a final shove he was on his feet with a grunt. Gravity was not his friend as he nearly toppled onto his face, if it weren't for Abby and the doctor catching him, firmly holding him in place. "Got it." Tony mumbled and Abby's grip tightened on his arm, he was sure to get bruising.

Another tentative step was a little more successful and a slow fifteen shuffling steps he reached the door and he was beginning to feel empowered. "Slow down Bruce Jenner." Abby chuckled as he started to pick up a normal pace. "You are still recovering."

"I'm looking for an escape." He said breathlessly as they passed the nurse's station with a sharp yank of the IV pole.

He gained looks from the steely looking women who would give Gibbs a run for his money. "You are not escaping, Tony. Ziva would kill you." Abby said reproachfully, poking him in the ribs gaining a grunt.

Tony coughed and smiled down at the woman. "Ziva wouldn't kill me." He said lightly, patting Abby's hand that was on her arm as they reached a set of double doors that allowed access to another part of the hospital. "Let's see where this goes."

Abby nodded with a smile before telling him a story about the time he glued McGee's fingers to the keyboard and it took at least thirty minutes for her to help him peel the keys from his fingers. The hallway was long, filled with paintings, pictures and plaques commending the hospitals top notch doctors and service to the community and the military. He stopped walking to give each painting and picture proper attention as if he was in a museum, he realized that he needed to appreciate other forms of media.

One picture caught his attention of a doctor surrounded by little African children. It was a beautiful picture because they were all smiling and even laughing despite that they all looked underfed. The plaque underneath it had Doctors without Borders watermark in the corner and introduced a doctor who had spent a year in Mogadishu, Somalia curing the sick and feeding the hungry, whatever they did with the program.

"Somalia." Tony said, brushing his fingers across the plaque. "I've been there."

Abby froze and turned to face him. "Yes, last summer." She answered slowly.

He took a deep breath as somewhat of a flashback took over and he rubbed his jaw where he was hit multiple times. "I was captured wasn't I?" He asked, looking at the scientist who nodded again but let him remember.

He closed his eyes, someone across from him had a sack on their head. It was pulled off and it was Ziva. Ziva David who had stayed in Israel because he shot Rivkin, he processed all the facts so quickly his head was beginning to hurt. "I couldn't live without you, I guess." He whispered to himself before looking at Abby with a stunned smile. "I saved her."

Abby nodded excitedly. "She was held hostage for three months, you thought she was dead." Abby filled in. "You remember!"

Tony nodded and looked down the hallway. "Listen Abby." He said seriously taking her hand in his. "You've gotta cover me."

Abby frowned. "What? No, you are not better yet." She said seriously. "I will call Ziva . . ."

Tony shook his head. "I need to see her, especially after what I put her through in the last couple of days." He pleaded and Abby still looked skeptical. "Please cover for me, I need to do this."

The puppy eyes worked and Abby caved. She searched the long hallway for cameras, negative, and she had a game plan. "Okay, just because I love you." He gave her a kiss on the side of the forehead before unhooking the bag from its pole and seeking the exit at the end of the hallway, luckily for him it was a fire exit and he took it, slowly and unstable. "How're you going to get . . . I guess he will figure it out." Sometimes Abby's romantic side won out the logical side.

Tony went down the stairs slowly because he didn't trust his muscles yet. When he reached the landing and pushed out the other door he realized that he was still wearing a hospital gown and nonslip socks. He tucked his arms into his sides and began to trek on the hard snow. January weather, eat your heart out because Anthony DiNozzo was going to Ziva's apartment no matter what.

As he neared the road, he waved down the first car he saw. Much to his surprise, he recognized the driver and didn't have to hold someone he didn't know hostage with his… IV? "Tony what are you doing out here in the snow?" It was Jimmy Palmer. "I was just on my way to drop some things off for you that Agent McGee asked. . ."

"I need your car." Tony said breathlessly.

Jimmy paled. "You need to go back inside before you get sicker." He argued putting his car in park and turning on his emergency flashers before he got out of the car.

Tony pounded on the top of the car as Palmer came across. "Either you give me your car or. . .I'll walk to Georgetown." He threatened, playing a low ball because he knew that Jimmy would not live to see another day if he left him there.

"I think you are confused, Tony." Palmer said smoothly and took ahold of his arm.

"I am not confused." He easily shook it off and with a burst of energy he sidestepped the younger man and trotted around the car, easily climbing inside. "I've never seen so clearly, I'll be back." With a heavy foot on the pedal he sped off, leaving Palmer on the side of the road as he went to Georgetown.

He didn't necessarily feel bad for stealing the younger man's car, but maybe he would have it detailed before giving it back. In the rearview mirror, Tony could still see the blood spots that were from him and even added a couple more when he pulled out his IV. That's a lie, he did feel bad for stealing it, but it couldn't be helped and he hoped that Palmer would be in good spirits about it.

.*.*

Ziva awoke to loud pounding on the door.

With a groan she rolled over and looked at the time, surprised that it had read just after two in the afternoon, another knock stopped her musings as she climbed out of bed, she grabbed her jacket and padded across her apartment to the door and froze when she looked through the peephole.

She threw open the door. "What are you doing here Tony?" She asked startled to see him standing in front of the door. His gown went to his knees and his normally light brown non-slip socks were dark because they were wet.

His breathing was heavy, but he looked determined. "I couldn't live without you, I guess." He whispered through breaths. For a brief moment the world stopped moving and she held onto the door for support. "When the ship went down. . . .I went to Somalia to kill the man responsible . . ." He stopped to catch his breath, mentally cursing his weak lungs. "I thought you were dead and when I saw you, I realized I couldn't live without you." He coughed.

With a hitched breath she embraced him, her arms encircling his waist and her face buried into his chest. "You remember." She cried.

He held her for a moment, burying his face into her hair mostly to catch his breath. When his lungs stopped burning he spoke again. "I am so sorry for forgetting you." He said softly, placing his hands on the side of his face and bringing her gaze up to his. "You are the most important person in my life."

She stood on her toes and captured his lips with her own. It was five years packed into this one kiss and even though Tony's lungs were on fire, he put everything into it until she came to her senses and broke it away. "How did you get here?" She asked, pulling herself back with her hands at his waist.

His hands slid to her shoulders as he flashed a guilty smile. "I stole Palmers car." He said.

Her hand left his waist and met her forehead. "Really Tony?" She said with a sigh. "Come on, we need to get you back to the hospital."

Tony nodded as she left his embrace to go put some shoes on, she returned in the blink of an eye with some clothes in her hands. She mothered him into a pair of sweats that were surprisingly his. As she fed his arms through the hoodie, he stopped her with a hand on her arm and she froze again as he pulled her into a second kiss. "I am perfectly able to dress myself." He said, slipping the hoodie over his head.

She turned his hand over that was covered in adhesive and scabs. "And you can take out your IVs, Tony you could have done some serious damage. You should have called me and I would have come down." She said softly.

Tony shrugged. "I needed to see you, Ziva." He answered honestly, before kissing her again. He was convinced that kissing was making his lungs stronger. This one was lazy and because he could kiss her, he remembered the crazy ones when they were undercover, but this one was nothing to compare to it.

He deepened it until she pushed him away. "We need to go back to the hospital before someone realizes that you are gone." She said, but stealing just one more kiss before patting him on the chest and as they turned to the open door they were surprised to see a figure standing just in the hallway.

Gibbs stood with his arms folded and the pair shared a look, just how long had he been standing there? "You finished?" Tony paled as much as he enjoyed his mini make out session with Ziva in the all too clichéd boy gets amnesia, boy remembers and gets the girl scenario, he didn't want it to end with his boss watching them.

"Yes Gibbs, we are on our way back to the hospital." Ziva said totally cool as she always.

The older man stepped aside for the pair to pass through the door and waited as Ziva locked up her apartment. As they walked down the hallway, Tony's hand brushed hers and she glanced at him what could be interpreted at shyly, only because Gibbs was watching their every move. "Just do it." Gibbs mumbled from behind them and immediately her small hand found its way into his, loosely tangling her fingers into his.

The curiosity got to Tony as they climbed into the elevator. "How did you know where to find me?" He asked as they stood side by side by side in the elevator.

He had a small smile, the one that said that he was amused by the entire situation. "I had a hunch." He said with a chuckle. They stood in silence as they went to the ground floor. "And Abby."

Tony's happy face turned into a scowl. "She lied to me." He said, not that he is surprised or anything. Gibbs was on the very most top of Abby's favorite list and Tony was probably about fourth after God and Jesus.

Ziva squeezed his hand and Gibbs chuckled again. "And the BOLO." Gibbs said, pointing to the sedan that didn't belong to him that sat in the stall. "Palmer is being held by hospital security, they think he has something to do with your disappearance. They are currently looking for your body."

It was Ziva's turn to scowl. "They cannot hold him like that, not without proper cause. . ." Ziva started before Tony interrupted with a laugh.

"Hospital security guards think they can, I mean with the twenty hours of training they get beforehand, they must be legit." Tony laughed, before coughing roughly.

Ziva rolled her eyes and looked at Gibbs, whose own car was parked next to Palmers. "You better get back before the real police show up." He commented, resting his arm on the car door. Ziva held out her hands for Palmers keys and he easily handed them over. She climbed in and adjusted the seat to where her feet could reach the pedals and started the car.

Tony nodded as he opened the door. "If she doesn't kill us first." He said climbing into the car, but not before Ziva reached across the console and punched him in the arm. "Hey! I'm still sick you know."

She smiled broadly before smoothing his pouty lips with her own. "Then stop questioning my driving." Ziva said lightly and pulled out of the parking stall.

For show, she stomped on the gas and Gibbs watched as she drove into traffic like a racecar driver and he could see him gripping the panic bar with white knuckles. Gibbs shrugged and got into his own car, Tony deserved it for all that he had put them through the last couple of days and for breaking the rules.

He was going to get head slapped the next time he saw him.

He was also going to get a pat on the back for finally pulling his head out of his ass and going for the girl.


End file.
